5 Odd Religions Coming to a Statehouse Near You

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After a Christian religious group received permission in 2012 to
erect a monument devoted to the Ten Commandments on the grounds
of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, another religious
group — The Satanic Temple — is formally requesting to erect its
own monument.

The organization has now received more than $23,000 in donations
to erect a tall statue of Baphomet, a goat-headed figure who sits
beneath a
pentagram. The statue features two children gazing upward at
the cloven-hoofed, horned idol, whose throne will also act as a
resting place "where people of all ages may sit on the lap of
Satan for inspiration and contemplation," according to a
statement from The Satanic Temple.

The statue is nothing if not controversial: "In my opinion, this
Satanist monument does not meet with the values of Oklahomans,"
Oklahoma State Rep. Bob Cleveland told
CNN. However, there are a number of other recognized
religious groups that might also want to someday erect monuments
on public property, including the following five groups:
[ 8
Ways Religion Impacts Your Life ]

1. Jediism

Inspired by the Jedi Knights from the " Star
Wars " film franchise, Jedi followers "believe in peace,
justice, love, learning and benevolence," according to the Temple
of the Jedi Order's website. Though there are several entities
claiming to be Jedi organizations, the Temple of the Jedi Order
was officially registered as a religion in the state of Texas in
2005. Another group, which calls itself the Jedi Church, espouses
a fundamental belief in "the force," which it describes as "an
energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us,
penetrates us and binds the galaxy together" — dialogue that is
familiar to any fan of the "Star Wars" movies. There are
reportedly hundreds of thousands of Jedi followers in Australia,
New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.

2. Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

This church, also known as Pastafarianism, is a protestant group
that originated in opposition to the teaching of "intelligent
design" in public schools as an alternative to evolution. The
protest quickly became an Internet phenomenon, albeit a
light-hearted, satirical one that rejects religious dogma.
Pastafarians believe the universe was created by a drunken Flying
Spaghetti Monster, pirates are divine beings, and heaven is a
place with strippers and a beer volcano. The church — which has
applied to the state of Oklahoma for permission to erect a
monument on the state capitol grounds — may be growing in
influence: Last week, Pastafarian minister Christopher Schaeffer
was sworn in as a member of the town board of Pomfret, N.Y.,
while wearing the traditional headgear of the Pastafarians, a
colander.

If schlocky movies like "Plan 9 from Outer Space," "Orgy of the
Dead" and "Night of the Ghouls" fill you with spiritual devotion,
you may be a candidate for Woodism, a religion that looks upon
the films of alcoholic, cross-dressing director Ed Wood as holy
scripture. Founded in 1996 by Wood fanatic Steve Galindo, the
movement's website states that, "By looking at his films and his
life, we learn to lead happy, positive lives. We strive for
acceptance of others and of the self." The group claims to have
more than 3,000 baptized "Woodites" worldwide, who celebrate
Woodmas on Oct. 10, the birthday of the director. (While Wood was
once labeled the world's worst director, more recent reappraisal
of his work has earned him cult status.) [ The
Top 10 Craziest Cults ]

4. Church of Euthanasia

Chris Korda, a cross-gendered
vegan, founded the Church of Euthanasia in 1992 on four basic
principles: suicide,
abortion, cannibalism and sodomy, which is defined as "any
sexual act not intended for procreation." Registered as a
nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the group has but one
commandment: Thou Shalt Not Procreate, the only way of restoring
the natural balance between humans and other species on Earth.
Many of the church's activities are defiantly confrontational,
especially when faced with pro-life groups protesting abortion
rights. Critics have charged the group with blatant misanthropy,
citing its adherence to the writings of
Thomas Malthus, the 18th-century scholar who believed
unchecked population growth would eventually result in a
catastrophic obliteration of the human race.

5. Church of the SubGenius

Another movement that arose in protest to the strict dogma of
organized religion, The Church of the SubGenius is largely viewed
as an elaborate parody that seems to have taken on a life of its
own. Founded in 1979 by a Texas filmmaker named Douglas St. Clair
Smith (aka Ivan Stang) and Steve Wilcox (aka Philo Drummond), the
group believes in an extraterrestrial deity called Jehovah 1,
encourages its member to "slack off," and has chosen as its
symbol a grinning, pipe-smoking man named J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, who
bears an uncanny resemblance to Ward Cleaver from the television
program "Leave It to Beaver." Adherents to the Church of the
SubGenius include entertainer Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens and
cartoonist R. Crumb.